Image Formation Through Walls Using a Distributed

Radar Sensor Network

SPIE Defense and Security Symposium

Technologies for Homeland Security and Law Enforcement

29 March, 2005

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 THROUGH WALL SENSING IS IMPORTANT FOR URBAN OPERATIONS

• Both military and law enforcement face same problems

- intelligence for building clearing, hostage, search situations
interior features, presence of people
- operations carried out by small teams of individuals

• Most current through wall sensing systems designed to be handheld

- provides limited view of operational space
- situational awareness limited to person using sensor
- hands no longer free to use weapon
- changes way members of team coordinate as a unit

• Options for sensors using all members of team make sense

- maintains way members work as a team
- provides each with same situational awareness
- leaves hands free to use weapon

• Current program exploring a distributed sensor option

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 DISTRIBUTED IMAGING NETWORK CONCEPT

• Individuals and vehicles become sensor nodes

• Random array improves imaging by reducing ghosts
• Wireless network receives data and distributes information
• View of operational space changes as sensors move
• Modular approach allows operational flexibility
• Network centric sensor
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 CURRENT DEVELOPMENT ARCHITECTURE

• Completely wireless system is program goal

• Major issues
- timing and control, sensor location, and processing speed
- how small a movement can be detected
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 COMMAND, DISPLAY AND FUSION NODE

• Currently provides the following: wireless

interface
- sets all sensor parameters
- fuses data from all sensors
- performs sensor location
- processes all data
- forms images
- operates with either wired or
wireless link

• Images formed and displayed at

at up to 10 frames per second
with COTS PC

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 RADAR HARDWARE

• 500 - 2000 MHz

• 10 µsec per point
• software defined
• 50 mW power output
• battery powered
• 13 watts
• ~ $1,000 parts cost Antenna connectors

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 WIRELESS SYSTEM SENSOR NODE

• D-Link wireless bridge used to control radar

• Inverted discone antenna

• Independent radar package 8.5” tall by

4.25” diameter

• 2.25 lbs

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 TESTING RESULTS

• Static testing performed to characterize properties of different walls

- drywall, brick, block, adobe, reinforced concrete, stucco
- wall attenuation generally increases with frequency
- dielectric constant is relatively insensitive to frequency
- stucco is relatively transparent above 900 MHz

• Dynamic testing performed to test motion detection algorithms

- person walking or sitting behind wall
- breathing simulator behind 12´´ reinforced concrete wall

• Open field measurements

- measurements of person to determine SNR of for current hardware
- data to characterize sensitivity of motion detection algorithms
- used with attenuation data to predict sensor performance

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 NORMALIZED ATTENUATION RESPONSE FOR 12´´ THICK WALLS

• Comparison of normalized response for 5 different wall types

- all measurement points are with antennas right against the wall
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 NORMALIZED ATTENUATION RESPONSE FOR STUCCO WALLS

• Comparison of one and two sided walls

• Good penetration above 900 MHz
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 REINFORCED CONCRETE TEST WALL

• Used for motion testing with person

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 MOTION DETECTION - REINFORCED CONCRETE

• Person walking around and then sitting down detected by large and small
motion algorithms
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 BREATHING SIMULATOR TEST SETUP

• Breathing simulator used to provide repeatable test object

- 0 to 40 cycles per minute, 0 to 2.5´´ displacement
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 MOTION DETECTION - REINFORCED CONCRETE

• Breathing simulator between 17 and 18 meters

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 DATA ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

• Data collected in open field, quiet environment

- noise floor measured from field data
- person detectable between 250 and 300 feet

• Adjustments required to account for attenuation of individual walls

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 MOTION DETECTION ALGORITHMS PROVIDE PROCESSING GAIN

• Sensitivity determined analytically

- single range profile used from person detectability test series
- second range profile generated from original, but adjusted in distance
- profiles used with each algorithm to determine peak response
- result shows SNR expected with degree of movement

• Second order algorithm generally more sensitive

• First order results used for Pd calculation to be more conservative

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 REINFORCED CONCRETE Pd - WITH AND WITHOUT MOTION DETECTION

• Results consistent with motion data taken with simulator

- breathing detected at 57 feet through concrete wall
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 CONCLUSION

• Physics and technology for through-the-wall imaging are well

understood
- no fundamental principles limit success
- commercial technology exists for implementing a robust system

• Imaging and motion detection algorithms have been demonstrated with

real data

• Improvements in radar operation are extending the operational range

and sensitivity of through-the-wall imaging systems

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